The sphere sat on Elara's desk, its faint crimson glow pulsing like a heartbeat. The cold light painted her face in eerie shades of red as she leaned closer to inspect it, her gloved fingers never quite touching the surface.
We stood silently before her.
My shoulders ached from the fight in Hollowdeep, and I could still feel the grime of the tunnels clinging to my skin. But her presence alone was enough to make me stand straighter, to square my jaw and meet her eyes without flinching.
"Well," she said at last, her voice soft but sharp enough to cut glass. "You didn't disappoint."
Arya's eyes flicked briefly to mine, but she stayed quiet. Soren crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed with her faint praise.
Elara finally straightened, folding her hands neatly behind her back as she studied us.
"I sent three untested adventurers into Hollowdeep," she continued, "where more experienced scouts and even guild elites have vanished. I expected you to fail. Perhaps even die. But you… brought this back."
She gestured to the sphere.
"That," Arya said, her voice carefully controlled, "is what was at the center of it all. We found it on the body of the summoner directing the attack. He was… connected to the creature somehow."
Elara's lips curved into a faint smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.
"Connected indeed," she murmured. "This artifact—if my initial suspicions are correct—was used to channel energy directly from the Abyss. Whoever sent that summoner into our tunnels knew exactly what they were doing. And exactly where to strike."
I frowned.
"Then they'll strike again," I said.
Elara's smile widened, just slightly.
"Of course they will," she said. "Which is why you three aren't going anywhere just yet."
Soren let out a short laugh.
"Figures," he muttered. "You send us to hell and back, and your thanks is another suicide mission."
Elara ignored him.
Instead, she reached into a drawer and retrieved three small metal badges, each shaped like a stylized sword overlaid on a shield. She placed one in front of each of us.
"Effective immediately," she said, "you are no longer mere initiates. You are now recognized as full-fledged guild operatives. This comes with privileges… and responsibilities."
I stared down at the badge in front of me.
It was heavier than it looked.
Arya reached for hers first, fingers curling tightly around it.
Soren picked his up more reluctantly, giving it a skeptical look before slipping it into his pocket.
And me?
I fastened mine to my belt.
Because this wasn't just a piece of metal.
It was a promise.
---
After dismissing us, Elara instructed us to rest and report back in the morning for a strategy briefing.
But sleep didn't come easily.
The events of Hollowdeep still replayed in my mind—the roar of the beast, the masked summoner's chilling whisper, the way that crimson glow had seeped into my very thoughts.
I dreamed of chains. Of fire.
And of Sigma's eyes, watching me from the shadows.
When dawn finally came, I was already awake, sitting at the window of the guild's guest quarters as the sun rose over Ashvale.
I wasn't the only one.
Arya was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me.
"You couldn't sleep either," she said, not really a question.
I shook my head.
"Too much on my mind," I admitted.
She stepped closer, her gaze softening just slightly.
"You did well down there," she said. "You didn't freeze up. You kept moving. That's what keeps you alive in this business."
I met her eyes.
"You too," I said quietly. "That summoner would've finished me if you hadn't distracted him."
Her mouth curved into the faintest of smiles.
"That's what partners are for," she replied.
---
Later that morning, the three of us met Elara again in the war room.
A massive map of the continent was spread across the table, dotted with colored pins and faintly glowing markers. Elara was already there, her gloved hands pressed flat against the parchment as she studied it.
She didn't look up as we entered.
"Take a seat," she said.
We did.
Her eyes finally lifted, sharp and calculating as always.
"I've analyzed the reports from the last month," she said. "And the pattern is clear. What happened in Hollowdeep was not an isolated incident. Similar attacks have been reported in at least four other regions—always in remote areas, always targeting supply lines or guild outposts. Whoever is orchestrating this is testing us. Probing for weaknesses."
Arya leaned forward slightly.
"Do we know who?" she asked.
Elara shook her head.
"Not yet," she admitted. "But I have my suspicions. There's a name that's come up in more than one intercepted report. A name most believed was only a legend."
Her fingers tapped the map lightly.
"Sigma."
The name hung in the air, heavy and dark.
I felt my stomach twist, but forced myself to stay still.
"I've seen him," I said quietly.
Elara's eyes sharpened, locking on mine.
"When?" she asked.
"In Hollowdeep," I replied. "He appeared… briefly. Watching us. And then he vanished. But it was him. I know it."
Elara's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Then it's worse than I thought," she said softly.
Soren shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"So what now?" he demanded. "You want us to track him down?"
Elara's eyes glittered.
"Not yet," she said. "We need more information. And you three… have proven adept at gathering it."
She reached for a small stack of parchment and began laying out sealed envelopes before us.
"These," she said, "are assignments. Low profile, for now. Each mission is designed to bring you closer to the heart of Sigma's network. Complete them, and you'll earn the trust of his agents. And when the time comes…"
Her voice softened into something cold and deadly.
"…you'll bury a blade in his heart."
I didn't flinch.
Neither did Arya.
But Soren just let out a dry laugh.
"Well," he said, picking up his envelope. "At least you're honest about it."
---
We left the war room in silence.
The corridors of the guildhall felt colder somehow, though the morning sun streamed through the high windows.
Once outside, we paused on the steps, looking out over Ashvale. The city was waking up around us—merchants opening their stalls, children running through the streets, the faint smell of fresh bread wafting on the air.
But all I could see were the shadows stretching across the rooftops.
Arya glanced at me.
"You ready for this?" she asked quietly.
I looked down at the badge on my belt.
And then back at her.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said.
She smiled faintly, and for the first time in days, it felt like something real.
---
That evening, we packed our things and prepared to head out.
The first mission was simple—on paper. Investigate a suspected informant in the border town of Rivenloch. Find out what he knows. Bring him back alive, if possible.
We rode out at dusk, the road winding through the hills like a silver ribbon.
The sky burned gold and red as the sun set behind us, and the first stars began to prick through the velvet sky.
For a long time, none of us spoke.
But as the road stretched out before us, I felt the weight of what lay ahead begin to settle on my shoulders.
This was just the beginning.
The real hunt hadn't even started yet.
And when it did…
I swore to myself, silently, that I'd be ready.
No matter what.